Page 102 of Stalk the Dark
My gut told me that asking Ezekiel for anything was a bad idea, and the last thing I wanted to do was bring Agatha to his attention. From what I’d gleaned from the watcher journals, he liked to use what people loved against them. As a member of the Order, I had few personal attachments, which worked well for a watcher. The only ones he knew about were my team and the hunters, all protected by the covenant between him and the Order. Agatha was not protected.
“I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do about that, but I can promise to keep her safe. I’ll be there for the whole thing. I won’t take my eyes off her.”
This seemed to placate Henry somewhat, although he looked like he wanted to say more. I waited, but in the end, he simply smiled and placed his hand on the small of Agatha’s back. “Shall we, honey?”
“Yes, let’s.” She beamed up at him, and my heart swelled watching them. This was love. Pure, unadulterated love.
They said their goodbyes and left.
“They’re adorable,” Merry said, hands clasped beneath her chin.
“Yeah, yeah,” Padma said. “Wait till they’ve been living together for a while, oh and when she’s popped out three kids, put on weight…Won’t be so adorable then.”
“So cynical,” Edwin said.
“Don’t you believe in love?” Merry asked.
“Love is a transaction,” Padma said. “And when you run out of things to give or when the other person feels like you have nothing left to offer, it’s usually over.” She walked off.
Merry sagged, bottom lip out in a pout. “I feel like she stole all the magic from the room.”
“Coffee?” Edwin said brightly.
Merry perked up. “Oooh, yes!”
And the magic was back.
Hemlock and Ordellpicked me up at the carriage stables, both covered in dirt and grime. Ordell’s knuckles were bloody and grazed. He made to climb up into the driver’s cab, and when I lightly touched his arm to stall him, he flinched. What the fuck?
But I forged on. “I was hoping you’d ride with me so we could talk.”
His jaw was tight. “Not today.” He dismissed me and climbed up into the driver’s spot.
Hemlock pulled open the door and waited for me to climb in, but it took a moment because I couldn’t tear my gaze off Ordell’s stiff profile. “Seriously?” His jaw flexed. “You’re giving me the cold shoulder after…You know what? Forget it. We don’t need to talk. Ever.”
I climbed into the carriage and sat back with a huff.
Hemlock joined me a moment later, and the carriage lurched into motion. I kept my attention on the shitty scenery, my heart pounding too hard, cheeks stinging from his rejection.
“You should go easy on him,” Hemlock said. “He had a pretty crappy day.”
“Yeah? And I had a shitty night, but I didn’t take it out on him even though I had every right to. Look, Hemlock, I’m too old and wise for games. You have a problem, that’s fine, use your words. Tell me you need space. Communicate for fuck’s sake.”
He studied me from beneath hooded lids. “You want communication? So here’s mine. I don’t want you in my bed again.”
His words were a jab to the chest. “What?”
“You heard me. Stay out of my room and out of my bed.”
The anger swirling inside me threatened to become an inferno. “Trust me, last night was a one-time thing. It definitely won’t happen again. In fact, we don’t have to talk at all, not unless it’s business. How’s that?”
“Works perfectly for me,” Hemlock said. “But Ordell…You should talk to him. Later. He had a bad day, Orina, and he’s never really had anyone but me to confide in, so…this is new. You’re new.”
His tone was soft, almost awestruck, and there was a flicker of heat in his arctic gaze that completelycontradicted his words of a few moments ago. “I don’t get you, Hemlock.”
“Good.” He pulled a book from his inner pocket, flipped it open, and began to read.
I watched him for a few moments before turning my attention to the view and switching off my thoughts.
